Polar Bear Hat

By: Jodi Lewanda from Red Heart Yarns

If you have an animal lover on your list of loved ones you're making gifts for this year, you'll want to make them this Polar Bear Hat. Making a knit hat couldn't be easier with this winter knit pattern, and whoever receives this will never want to take it off. It's warm, totally cute, and shows how impressive your knitting skills are. A DIY hat like this will make a fun fashion statement during the winter.

Directions are for size Medium. Changes for size Large are in parentheses.

RED HEART® With Love™: 1 skein each 1303 Aran A, 1302 Caramel B, 1321 Chocolate C.

Susan Bates® Knitting Needles: 4.5mm [US 7]
Yarn needle.

GAUGE: 18 sts = 4"(10 cm); 28 rows = 4" (10 cm) over Stockinette stitch (knit on Right Side, purl on Wrong Side). CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge.

(4 Medium) Red Heart® With Love™, Art. E400, available in solid color 7oz (198g), 390 yd (357m) and multi color 5oz (141g), 230 yd (211m) skeins.

Special Stitches
kfb (Knit into front and back) = Knit next st but do not remove from needle, knit into back loop of same st and remove from needle.
M1L (Make 1 Left Increase) = Insert left needle from front to back under strand between needles, knit strand through the back loop, twisting it to prevent a hole.
M1R (Make 1 Right Increase) = Insert left needle from back to front under strand between needles, knit strand through the front loop, twisting it to prevent a hole.
pfb (Purl into front and back) = Purl next st but do not remove from needle, purl into back loop of same st and remove from needle.
ssk = Slip next two stitches, one at a time, as if to knit to right needle, insert point of left needle through front of sts, knit these stitches together through back loop.
ssp = Slip next two stitches, one at a time, as if to knit to right needle, return the slipped stitches to the left needle, purl these stitches together through back loop.

Notes
1. Hat is worked back and forth in rows beginning at the lower edge. Side edges are then sewn together for back seam.
2. Ears, snout, nose, and eyes are worked separately and sewn to hat.

Hat measures 20 (22)" circumference, slightly stretched.

HAT
Ribbing
With A, cast on 83 (91) sts.
Row 1 (Right Side): K1, *p1, k1; repeat from * across.
Row 2: P1, *k1, p1; repeat from * across.
Rows 3–6: Repeat last 2 rows 2 more times.
Row 7: K40 (44), k2tog, knit to end of row—82 (90) sts.

Body of Hat
Beginning with a Wrong Side (purl) row, work in St st (knit on Right Side, purl on Wrong Side) until piece measures 6½ (7)" from beginning, end with a Wrong Side row.

Shape Crown (top of hat)
Row 1 (Right Side): K1, *k6, k2tog; repeat from * to last st, k1—72 (79) sts.
Row 2 and all Wrong Side rows: Purl.
Row 3: K1, *k5, k2tog; repeat from * to last st, k1—62 (68) sts.
Row 5: K1, *k4, k2tog; repeat from * to last st, k1—52 (57) sts.
Row 7: K1, *k3, k2tog; repeat from * to last st, k1—42 (46) sts.
Row 9: K1, *k2, k2tog; repeat from * to last st, k1—32 (35) sts.
Row 11: K1, *k1, k2tog; repeat from * to last st, k1—22 (24) sts.
Row 13: K1, *k2tog; repeat from * to last st, k1—12 (13) sts.
Row 15: K1, *k2tog; repeat from * to last 1 (2) sts, k1 (2)—7 (8) sts.
Cut yarn, leaving a long tail (about 18" [46 cm]). Thread tail through remaining stitches and pull to gather. Secure end, and use remaining tail to sew side edges together for back seam.

EARS (make 2)
With A, cast on 14 sts.
Beginning with a Right Side (knit) row, work in St st for 4 rows.

Shape Top of Ear
Row 1 (Right Side): Ssk, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog—12 sts.
Row 2: Purl.
Rows 3–10: Repeat last 2 rows 4 more times—4 sts. Note: Last row worked should be a Wrong Side (purl) row.
Row 11: K1, M1R, knit to last st, M1L, k1—6 sts.
Row 12: Purl.
Rows 13–20: Repeat last 2 rows 4 more times—14 sts. Note: Last row worked should be a Wrong Side (purl) row.
Beginning with a Right Side row (knit), work in St st for 3 rows.
Bind off as if to purl.

SNOUT
With B, cast on 10 sts.
Row 1 (Right Side): Kfb, knit to last st, kfb—12 sts.
Row 2: Pfb, purl to last st, pfb—14 sts.
Row 3: Repeat Row 1—16 sts.
Row 4: Purl.
Rows 5 and 6: Repeat Rows 3 and 4—18 sts.
Row 7: Ssk, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog—16 sts.
Row 8: Purl.
Row 9: Repeat Row 7—14 sts.
Rows 10 and 11: Repeat Rows 8 and 9—12 sts.
Row 12: P2tog, purl to last 2 sts, ssp—10 sts.
Row 13: Repeat Row 7—8 sts.
Bind off as if to purl.

NOSE
With C, cast on 3 sts.
Row 1 (Right Side): Kfb, k1, kfb—5 sts.
Row 2: Pfb, p3, pfb—7 sts.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: P2tog, p3, ssp—5 sts.
Row 5: Ssk, k1, k2tog—3 sts.
Bind off as if to purl.

EYES (make 2)
Make same as nose.

FINISHING
Using photograph as a guide, position snout at center front of hat, about 1¾" (4 cm) above lower edge. Whipstitch snout in place. Position nose on top of snout, centered over upper portion of snout, and whipstitch in place. Fold each ear in half across narrowest, center section and sew side edges together. Position ears on hat, 3" (8 cm) from top, on each side. Whipstitch ears in place. Position eyes above snout and whipstitch in place.
Weave in all ends.

ABBREVIATIONS: A, B, and C = Color A, B, and C; k = knit; k2tog = knit 2 together; p = purl; p2tog = purl 2 together; st(s) = stitch(es); St st = Stockinette stitch; * = repeat whatever follows the * as indicated.